The Creature From The Back of the Fridge

The meal was “out of this world.” That’s why it was saved, presumably.

And indeed, it may have been heavenly in its original form, I’m sure; now? Not so much.

A science project, perhaps, a study in microbiology and the tenacity of bacteria. Mould is a very curious but fascinating thing, I’m embarrassed to admit.

Of what do I speak? Surely you know: the evil that lurks at the back of the fridge (contained in Tupperware, of course).

How it gets there, no one really knows. It just seems to appear one day, in a form that clearly evolved in a loving, host environment. Yes, it may have been cold, but it found its way nonetheless, growing to a form that is at once beautiful (I hate to admit) and repulsive. Yes, I’m conflicted. The colours are nice – muted blues and greens, after all – but when I actually think about what it is? Another story.

As facetious as this preamble may be, there is many a truth said in jest.

“The Creature From The Back Of The Fridge” could very well be a B- Movie, but alas, it is my life of which I speak. I know I’m not alone; I just happen to be admitting it here today.

Why?

Well, perhaps I’m tired of throwing out food on a regular basis. That and the fact that I’m ashamed that I along with many others, live such a wasteful way of life.

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We eat, drink and are merry on a daily basis, with little thought about the amount of food that we consume – and discard. Someone once said that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions,” and perhaps they were right. The plan is usually to eat the leftovers at a later time, which oftentimes never materializes. Irritation and rotting food subsequently ensues.

I may mutter under my breath or complain more loudly every time I reach for an indeterminate item ensconced in a plastic tub in the nether regions of the fridge. The muttering and loud complaining is one part frustration, one part anger and one part guilt. Oh yea – add shame to the mix as well.

Frustration because no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to organize the family’s food situation enough whereby there is just enough for the meal at hand and just enough to be eaten as leftovers.

Anger because not only am I wasting food and by extension, money, but also the fact that I am setting a bad example for my children about wastefulness, ingratitude and complacency. You see, I’m the one to blame for the “over-ripe” food that is now long past its due date, a fact that I’m not proud to admit.

Guilt because I know in my heart of hearts that it is never right to throw away food. Not when so much of our world’s population can’t even fathom the thought of three healthy hot meals a day, as well as an infinite supply of snacks that can be eaten on a whim, at any time.

Shame because waste of food should be shame-inducing. It’s so obvious why.

With what may be the greatest of intentions, leftovers are routinely left to languish in the fridge until they have morphed into creatures from another planet. This is wrong and it has to stop. Of course there are the financial reasons why wasting food doesn’t make sense, but the ethical reasons are much more compelling.

So while I don’t really go for new year’s resolutions, I will say that a change is afoot. While my tendency is to cook far to much, resulting in too many leftovers that get tossed, I will be making a concentrated effort to cut back on the extra grub. Hopefully this renewed effort will be a success and the pungent, however pretty long-past-it’s due-date food will be discarded.

What about you? Do you throw out too much food? How do you keep The Creature From The Back Of The Fridge from taking over?